Top 10 Causes of Cancer

Top 10 Causes of Cancer

Cancer is a disease that impacts millions of individuals all over the globe, yet despite this, there is still a significant lack of understanding around the illness.

As a result of the many misunderstandings and myths that surround cancer, it may be challenging to understand the actual factors that contribute to its progression and the effects it has on people’s lives. It is essential that one makes the effort to get knowledgeable about the factors that might lead to cancer so that one can acquire a better grasp of how cancers spread and the reasons why they occur in some people but not in others.

In this article, we will first review what cancer is, including its fundamental definition as well as risk factors, and then we will investigate the top 10 recognized causes of cancer.

Definition of cancer at the cellular level

Cancer is a condition in which some cells of the body develop in an uncontrolled manner and spread to other places of the body. Because the human body is composed of billions of cells, the process of developing cancer may begin almost anywhere in the human body.

In a healthy human body, existing cells divide to create new cells when the body requires them. This process of growth and multiplication is referred to as cell division. When cells reach their end of life, either because they are too old or because they have been injured, new cells emerge to take their place.

This normally well-regulated process may, on rarely, become disorganized, enabling defective or damaged cells to proliferate and reproduce when they should not. These cells have the potential to develop into tumors, which are mass accumulations of tissue.

Tumors may or may not be cancerous depending on their characteristics. Cancerous tumors have the ability to infect neighboring tissues and spread to other parts of the body, where they may give rise to more tumors (a process called metastasis). Malignant tumors are another name for cancerous tumors. Cancer of the blood, such as leukemias, do not often develop solid tumors, although the majority of other cancers do.

Tumors that are diagnosed as benign do not invade, or spread to other tissues in the body. After being surgically removed, benign tumors almost never come back, although cancerous ones might sometimes do so. However, benign tumors may occasionally be very substantial in size. Some benign tumors in the brain, for example, have the potential to produce significant symptoms or even pose a danger to the patient’s life.

Top 10 causes of cancer

1. Obesity

The chance of developing various forms of cancer is significantly increased in obese individuals. Recent studies have indicated that persons who are obese have an increased chance of having cancers of the breast, colon, rectum, endometrial, esophagus, kidney, pancreas, and gallbladder. This indicates that it is important to have a healthy weight in order to reduce the likelihood of acquiring the aforementioned forms of cancers.

The healthiest approach to accomplishing this goal is to maintain an active lifestyle while also following a diet that is balanced and nutritious. Eating a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as cutting down on foods high in saturated fat, will help you maintain a healthy weight and provide your body with the nutrients it needs to ward against illness. Additionally, engaging in physical activity on a daily basis helps to decrease inflammation throughout the body, which in turn lowers the likelihood that you may develop certain forms of cancer.

2. Tobacco

Tobacco is one of the most extensively used products around the world, and for decades it has been associated to a variety of cancers. Tobacco goods include more than just cigarettes and cigars; they also include pipe tobacco, chewing tobacco, snuff, snus, and hookah tobacco.

In addition to lung cancer, tobacco products are known to increase the risk of a number of other cancers, including those of the trachea, mouth, esophagus, throat, bladder, kidney, liver, stomach, pancreas, colon, rectum, and cervical cancers, as well as acute myeloid leukemia. In addition, it is believed that tobacco use is responsible for around thirty percent of all deaths that are brought on by cancer.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), smoking and the use of other tobacco products are the greatest leading cause of death throughout the globe. This is because these products include dangerous compounds like nicotine, tar, and carbon monoxide, which damage cells in the body and raise the chance of developing many forms of cancer. The use of these substances is also linked to longer-term health problems, such as heart disease and strokes.

3. Alcohol

Consuming an excessive amount of alcohol raises the risk of developing cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, larynx (voice box), liver, and breasts in a person. There is a wide variety of styles and taste qualities to choose from when it comes to alcoholic drinks; however, there is one thing that all of them have in common: they contain ethanol. Ethanol is a combustible liquid that is colorless, and it has a flavor and smell that are similar of wine. You may find ethanol in beer, wine, spirits, and other types of beverages.

When a person consumes alcohol, their bodies break down the ethanol by turning it into a chemical known as acetaldehyde, which is a carcinogen as well as a toxin. DNA is damaged by acetaldehyde, and this damage may interfere with the body’s natural capacity to repair the damage. DNA contains the blueprint for how your cells should develop and operate. DNA that has been damaged may sometimes cause cells to grow uncontrollably, which can eventually lead to the development of cancer tumors.

The majority of ethanol is transformed into acetaldehyde in the liver and stomach. While this change happens with any quantity of alcohol, heavy or excessive drinkers have it worse because their bodies can’t process the alcohol quickly enough, leading to an accumulation of acetaldehyde.

4. Radiation

Ionizing radiation is a kind of energy that is capable of causing harm to essential biological components found inside the body, such as DNA, and may even result in the development of cancer. Examples of high-energy radiation that may damage DNA and lead to cancer include neutrons, alpha particles, beta particles, X-rays, and gamma rays. Radon, a radioactive gas that is released by rocks and soil, is another example. Radiation of this kind may be emitted in the event of an accident at a nuclear power station or during the production, testing, or use of an atomic bomb.

A variety of medical diseases may be diagnosed and treated with the use of radiation-based medical treatments, such as chest x-rays, computed tomography (CT) scans, positron emission tomography (PET) scans, and radiation therapy. Even though these procedures are necessary for modern medicine, they also come with a risk. Patients who receive radiation treatment or other medical imaging procedures that use radiation may be at an increased risk of developing cancer.

5. Cancer caused by genes

Genes, which are fragments of DNA that are placed on chromosomes, have the potential to evolve into cancerous form over time. These changes may be triggered by a wide range of circumstances, including dietary and lifestyle decisions, as well as the impact of certain environmental conditions.

Although approximately 5 to 10 percent of all cancers are passed down genetically from one generation to the next, these are the cancers that often appear at an earlier age in people.

Lynch syndrome is an inherited genetic disorder that makes it hard for cells to fix their DNA when it gets damaged. This makes the risk of getting cancer higher. This has been linked to the development of colon and uterine cancer at a younger age.

The BRCA family of genes is another example of such a genetic component. The BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes are two that have been shown to have a significant role in the fight against cancer.

These genes, when functioning correctly, assist in preventing breast, ovarian, and other kinds of cells from expanding and dividing in an uncontrolled manner or at an abnormally quick rate.

There is a possibility that the BRCA genes may become altered or mutated, which would prohibit them from functioning correctly. Because of this, a patient’s chance of developing breast, ovarian, and other types of cancer is increased.

6. Chronic inflammation

Inflammation is a natural and healthy physiological reaction that occurs in the body whenever there is damage to or injury to tissue. It is a crucial component of the process of healing, as it helps to shield the body from experiencing any additional injury and promotes the recovery of any cells that have been injured.

The release of chemicals from injured tissue, which are often referred to as mediators, is the first step in the inflammatory response. These chemicals tell immune cells in the surrounding area that there is a problem that requires their attention.

These mediators subsequently induce the blood vessels in the damaged location to expand and become more permeable, which allows white blood cells, antibodies, and other chemicals to enter the wounded spot. Thus, swelling occurs when fluid accumulates at the wound site, accompanied by increased heat, which protects against infection and allows better access to vital nutrients assisting in healing.

When there is chronic inflammation, the inflammatory process may begin even though there has been no damage, and it does not end when it should. There may be times when the cause of the inflammation is unclear.

Chronic inflammation may be caused by a number of different things, including infections that fail to clear up, unfavorable immune responses to normal tissues, and factors such as obesity.

The inflammatory reaction has the potential to cause damage to the DNA, which may later develop into cancer. People who have chronic inflammatory intestinal diseases such as ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease are more prone to acquire colon cancer.

7. Organ transplantation

Organ transplantation is a treatment that saves lives and has significantly improved the quality of life for a large number of individuals who were previously unable to survive due to the failure of one or more of their organs. However, there are dangers associated with this procedure, since recent studies have shown that cancer may be transmitted via organ donors.

It seems that malignant melanoma, which was not recognized at the time of organ harvesting, is the primary reason for this cancer. This kind of malignancy has been proven to occur in both solid organ and bone marrow transplants, with the chance rising based on the length of time the donor was unwell previous to their death.

In order to properly evaluate possible organ donors and guarantee the safety of their patients, it is crucial that doctors familiarize themselves with the risks associated with transplantation.

8. Immunosuppression

Transplantation of organs is an essential component of modern medicine because it enables those in need to receive a healthy organ that has been donated by a healthy donor. Immunosuppressant medicines are administered to patients so that their bodies will not react negatively to the introduction of a foreign organ. This will prevent the organ from being rejected by the body.

Calcineurin inhibitors and corticosteroids are the two types of immunosuppressant medications that are most frequently prescribed to patients who have received an organ transplant. These medications assist the body in accepting the new organ without causing it to attack it as though it were an intruder.

Studies show that those who have had transplants are at a higher risk for developing many types of cancer. Some of these tumors may be traced back to infectious infections as their root cause, but not all of them. The four cancers that are most prevalent in transplant patients are non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), lung cancer, kidney cancer, and liver cancer.

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is responsible for causing non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), whereas chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is the root cause of liver cancer. It is currently unknown if infection has a role in the development of cancer of the lungs or kidneys.

9. Infectious agents

Infectious agents including viruses, bacteria, and parasites may cause cancer or raise the chance of getting cancer. The majority of viruses that are linked to an increased risk of cancer may be passed from one person to another via their blood or other body fluids.

You may lessen your likelihood of acquiring a virus by being vaccinated, avoiding from sexual activity, and avoiding the sharing of needles with other people.

HIV stands for “Human Immunodeficiency Syndrome.” The virus that causes AIDS is called “HIV-AIDS.” Although HIV infection does not directly lead to the development of cancer, it does weaken the immune system and reduces the body’s capacity to defend itself against other conditions that may lead to the development of cancer.

Multiple cancers, including Kaposi sarcoma, lymphomas (including non-Hodgkin lymphoma and Hodgkin disease), and cancers of the cervix, anus, lung, liver, and throat, are associated with HIV infection.

Some bacterial infections can also make you more likely to get cancer. For example, Helicobacter pylori can cause gastric cancer. H. pylori may cause cancer by a combination of processes, including chronic inflammation and the direct action of virulence factors produced by the bacterium.

10. Age

One of the most significant factors contributing to the growth of cancer is a person’s old age, which may be explained by a number of biological changes that are intrinsically tied to the aging process. After age 50, there is a significant rise in the likelihood of developing cancer, and those 66 years old and over account for half of all cancer cases.

Different types of cancer have different average ages of diagnosis, such as 61 years for breast cancer, 66 years for prostate cancer, 68 years for colorectal cancer, and 70 years for lung cancer, but the disease can happen at any age.

Neuroblastoma, for instance, is more prevalent in youngsters than it is in adults, and the average age at which a patient is diagnosed with bone cancer is less than 20 years old.

There is still a lot of study to be done before we can have a complete picture of how being older and having cancer are connected. Even while we can’t turn back the hands of time, studies have shown that controlling chronic diseases and making adjustments to one’s lifestyle beginning in middle age and continuing beyond that point may reduce the likelihood of developing cancer.

These modifications include engaging in more physical exercise, sitting down for shorter periods of time, obtaining a sufficient amount of sleep, maintaining a nutritious diet, consuming small amounts of alcohol, and quitting smoking.

Researchers have shown that doing so may minimize the chance of developing cancer and raise the likelihood of what they refer to as “successful aging.”

Symptoms

The symptoms and signs of cancer will be different for each individual based on the location of the disease. The following is a list of common signs and symptoms that may be related with cancer:

• Fatigue

• A lump or region of thickening that can be felt underneath the skin

• Changes in weight, including unintended loss or gain

• Skin changes, such as yellowing, darkening, or reddening of the skin, sores that didn’t heal, or changes in the existing moles

• Changes in bowel or bladder habits

• Lung inflammation or trouble breathing

• Difficulty in swallowing

• Persistent indigestion or discomfort after eating

The preventative measures for cancer

The large majority of cancer specialists have the opinion that many forms of cancer may be avoided altogether, or at least, that the risk of acquiring cancer can be significantly minimized. Depending on the person’s point of view, some of the tactics are rather straightforward, while others may be considered fairly radical.

The most straightforward strategy for combating cancer is one that focuses on avoiding the factors that might contribute to its development. The first recommendation made by the vast majority of doctors and researchers is to give up smoking tobacco completely or, even better, to never start smoking at all.

Another of the most effective strategies to prevent cancer is to stay out of the sun’s rays as much as possible (either by limiting one’s exposure or by using sunscreen), as well as to steer clear of as many chemicals and toxins as possible.

It is also possible that certain cancers may be prevented by avoiding contact with particular viruses and other infectious agents. People who work in close proximity to cancer-causing agents, such as workers in the chemical industry, X-ray technicians, researchers working with ionizing radiation, and asbestos workers, should take all necessary safety precautions and limit their exposure to cancer-causing compounds as much as possible.

Conclusion

If anything doesn’t feel or look right, or if you have any suspicion that you could have cancer, it’s crucial that you pay attention to your body and see a doctor.

Get it looked out if it’s something that won’t go away, whether it’s a change that’s new for you, something that’s odd for you, or anything else.

In the vast majority of instances, it will not be cancer; but, if it is, identifying it early on, when therapy is more likely to be effective, may make a significant difference in the outcome.

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